West watch. Law enforcement.

U.s. Gives Anti-terror Gear To 2 Bomb Units

It's always nice to receive presents, and on Wednesday DuPage County Sheriff John Zaruba and Kane County Sheriff Ken Ramsey thanked the FBI and showed off their gifts--about $100,000 worth of bomb detection, prevention and safety equipment.

"I hope the sheriffs and their bomb squads never have to use this equipment, but we have to be prepared," said Kathleen McChesney, special agent in charge of the Chicago FBI office, at a news conference at the DuPage County Jail.

The equipment, part of the U.S. government's counter-terrorism program, includes a portable digital X-ray imaging system, gas monitors and search suits.

The X-ray system allows the bomb squad members to X-ray a potentially explosive device where it is discovered and to read and record the image of the device within seconds, while staying about 300 feet away.

"This allows us not to have to take X-ray film to be developed and read and lose precious time," said Lt. John Phillabaum, DuPage bomb squad commander.

The gas monitor provides constant readings of toxic and explosive gasses, while the search suits protect bomb squad members looking for explosive devices. Both of the bomb squads have more protective bomb suits that allow officers to get closer to suspicious devices, but the search suits, while offering protection, allow for greater flexibility.

"The threat of domestic terrorism is growing, and these bomb squad members put their life on the line, and this equipment helps minimize possible injury and death," said Zaruba.

"We have always been fortunate to have a good working relationship between DuPage and Kane Counties, and we are fortunate to have a good working relationship with the FBI," said Ramsey. "Our officers will be safer, and that means our residents will be safer."

Both counties have bomb squads that are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Zaruba estimates the DuPage squad gets about 200 calls a year, and Ramsey said Kane's squad responds about 100 to 130 times a year.

"We have homemade explosives, souvenir ordinance like old hand grenades and other devices that need to be checked out," said Phillabaum.

Both bomb squads are members of a bomb prevention and detection task force that includes state and federal agencies.

McChesney said that as part of the counter-terrorism program, started in 1999, every accredited bomb squad in the country would get some equipment. She said the bomb squads in the metropolitan areas were targeted to be the first.

Although there has been no major terrorist incident in the western suburbs, Ramsey noted that anyplace in a metropolitan area where "there is a significant cluster of population, there is a high risk."

Zaruba pointed out that the two counties are home to many international companies that could draw attention.

Addison chaplains: Police will start carrying spiritual comfort along with their guns and handcuffs later this month, when four new chaplains finish their orientation and hit the streets in Addison.

"This will fill a big void for us," said Police Chief Melvin Mack, adding that Addison has been without a police chaplain since 1997.

Rev. Anthony Scalfani of First Baptist Church, Rev. Ernest Brooks of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Rev. Jed Dorson of Prince of Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church, all in Addison; and Rev. Kevin Farrell of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Wood Dale were appointed last month by Village President Lorenz Hartwig. The village will pay each of them $1 per year to serve as chaplains.

The chaplains' main duty will be to ease tense encounters between police officers and residents. They will accompany officers to accident scenes, domestic disputes and death notifications, Mack said. They also will be available to ride along on routine patrols if an officer requests it, he added.

Mack also said he hopes the chaplains will help police officers cope with the emotional burden of their jobs. "The view of the community from a police car is unique. We see the weak sides of people that their friends and neighbors don't ordinarily see," he explained.

Said Brooks: "It's important for the clergy to get outside church walls and into the community to see what's really happening. And police officers have such hectic schedules and give so much to the community that we should help them as much as we can, because they're putting their lives on the line to protect us."